Tick-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases can be very costly to livestock farmers. South Africa, in terms of greatly varying biomes, climatic zones, and land altitudes, is a land mass with different parasite challenges. Heartwater, for example, is a potentially deadly livestock disease caused by ticks.
In respect of counteracting pests such as the bont tick that spread diseases, farmers need to introduce biosecurity measures when transporting livestock to and from heartwater areas. This can be undertaken by ensuring that livestock are effectively dipped some days before being transported, and it’s wise to keep recently treated animals in some form of quarantine area or camp for a few days to allow the shedding of parasites in these areas only.
There are other livestock diseases such as redwater that are caused by the Rhipicephalus genus of ticks. This disease is found predominantly in high-rainfall areas. Another tick-borne disease, Karoo paralysis, is spread by the Ixodes rubicundus tick, and this causes lameness in the hindquarters or of the entire body. Other dangerous livestock diseases caused by ticks include babesiosis and anaplasmosis.
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